Story & Lesson Highlights with Andrea Macasadia of Paradise Hills

Andrea Macasadia shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Andrea, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
Something I’m most proud of building, especially over the years, is my network of friends and colleagues across such different industries I never thought I would’ve been tapped into. The community that I’ve built and am thankful enough to be included in– I kind of happened upon it through a series of odd jobs and small interactions I’ve had with people on random Saturday nights out. I play it cool for the most part in my everyday work but as I reflect on just the last 3 years I just sit there in complete awe and pride, I’ve met and worked alongside so many amazing people and invited into so many spaces I would have never imagined.

Not to say I wouldn’t have found a community at some point in my life and career but, the very specific network I’ve built I can confidently say that my younger self would think I’m the coolest person ever and I think that was one of my long term life goals.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Andrea Macasadia, or known to many as Dre, and I am a Designer. I use the term designer very loosely as it doesn’t encapsulate enough the range of work I do. Yes, I design graphics, merchandise, and media– but I also coordinate large scale events and work in interior architecture. I haven’t neglected my architecture degree completely since I use it everyday in contracting admin, design, and client communication.

My brand is very important to me and when I work with clients I like to stress the same importance of branding to them as I do myself, In my everyday work I design to help others find their visual identity through design so they walk away with something we’re both proud of. I also work alongside other companies such as Hickies and Dry Humps, LLC. and Rewind OC. If you’ve every attended any events hosted by them, I most likely have had a hand in their design and marketing. In so many words, I get to make cool things for cool people.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who taught you the most about work?
Not so much of a who as it is a “what”. In college, more specifically design school, I learned a lot about the professional world and how I should and want to be carrying myself. Design school shaped who I am in the work force, not only as a professional designer but also my style and personality and how it would look reflected through my work. Just to break it down, design school is unlike a typical university since everything is project based and we were taught from the start how to market ourselves and our work. Its there where I found the confidence in myself and how to present my style as a designer. Although I’m not consistently in the architecture community at the moment, I use all the lessons I’ve learned in design school and translate them to the working world–from collaboration to work ethic. I think I would have eventually learned all the things I know now from working in the field but I firmly believe that making my choice to attend a design school over a 4-year public university has made a big difference in how I perceive myself as a professional designer.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Through different stages of my life, I’ve experienced my share of personal and professional traumas. So I was definitely familiar with the feeling of suffering. I also feel like the definition of success looks different for everyone. For me, I have both long term and short term goals but I’ve very adamant on celebrating the little wins as they come. So although I’ve seen moments of suffering and discouragement, I don’t dwell too long since the wins always seem to level out the losses.

From all that, I feel like I’m more of a go-getter. I’m hungrier to 1-up myself and my past wins, not only as a designer but as a person living life for the first time. I think of all the times things didn’t go the way I expected and about the what-ifs sometimes, like what if I moved away or what if I chose a different career path, but I am at peace with the fact that things had to happen exactly this way for my to be exactly who I need to be.
Suffering in necessary for growth to happen.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
I can honestly say, yes. The version of me that you will meet in person is authentically who I am in every room. Its sad to me to see sometimes that the people online are different in person, but I guess that is just the illusion of social media. I do my very best to be exactly who I am online and in real life. I wear many different hats depending on the room I’m in but I will always keep my energy true to who I am. Same person and personality just sometimes in a different font.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What will you regret not doing? 
I’d like to think I’m living my life with no regrets when it comes to life-changing moves. One thing I will never regret doing is choosing my passions and doing what I want to do with my life despite the cultural norms and expectations to lead a life focused solely on stability. From a very young age I knew I was destined for the creative field and my family definitely nurtured and encouraged that side of me growing up. I’ve been blessed with a family and a support system that actually supported my goals to become a designer/architect –knowing that it isn’t the highest paying career out there. And even now, (I’m still not a licensed architect) and my family is still supportive and trusting that I’m working hard and doing my best in whatever field I’ find myself in.

Because of them I feel no regret or guilt in turning my passions/talent into a career and I feel like I’m exactly aligned with who I was meant to be.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://andreamacasadia.myportfolio.com/
• Instagram: badgrldre / dsgnwithdre / hickiesanddryhumps
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-macasadia/
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/andiemac

Image Credits
Photos by @iso_junkies (instagram)
Marketing material for @hickiesanddryhumps, @its.just.ev, and @rewindoc